Eutherians

DESCRIBER    Tabuce, Vianey-Liaud and Garcia, 2004
TIME    Cretaceous Late
Maastrichtian
CLASS    Mammalia
INFRACLASS    Eutheria
MAGNORDER    Epitheria
SUPERORDER    Ungalatomorpha
ORDER    Incertae Sedis
FAMILY    \"Zheliestidae\"
FOSSILSITE    Arc Basin, France
INFO

Holotype: ISEM/VLP−2, damaged right dentary with p3–m3. Referred material.—ISEM/VLP−4: fissured fragment of a right dentary with a damaged ?p4, associated with two very
fragmentary adjacent teeth. ISEM/VLP−3: a fractured maxillary fragment with roots of right and left canines and a right ?P2.

Diagnosis.—Valentinella presents the classic “zhelestid” features: the teeth are characterized by developed crushing function, the paraconid is lingually or sublingually positioned with a clear appression to the metaconid, the entoconid and the hypoconulid are twinned, and the talonid is expanded labiolingually. Valentinella differs from the Asian “zhelestids” by
the molarization of the ultimate premolar, and is distinct from Avitotherium and Gallolestes by its simple, bulbous p3 and by its larger metaconid and entoconid on lower molars, respectively. Valentinella differs from Labes and Lainodon in having a mesio−distally compressed trigonid.

Etymology.—From Vitrolles, name of the town near the fossiliferous site.

Measurements.—(in mm): ISEM/VLP−2: p3 (L = 2.3; W = 1.5); p4 (or dp4) (L = 2.3;W= 2); m1 (L = 3.4;W= 2.35; Ltri = 2; Ltal = 1.4; Wtri = 2; Wtal = 2.35); m2 (L >3.5;W= 2.9); m3 (L = 3.1;W>2). ISEM/VLP−4: ?p4 (Ltri = 1.5; Ltal = 1.2; Wtri = 1.35; Wtal = 1.9). ISEM/VLP−3: right canine (H >2.5; diameter of the root = 1.7); left canine (H >2.3; diameter of the root = 1.6); ?P2 (L = 2.5; W = 2.0)

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